LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Cleveland State men's tennis team made its eighth appearance in the NCAA Tournament Friday, as the Vikings faced off against No. 14 Kentucky in a First Round mach. The Vikings were able to pick the early doubles point against the Wildcats, but Kentucky would go on to eventually pick up a 4-1 victory in the first round match.
For the first time in program history, the Vikings put a point on the board in an NCAA Tournament match, as they picked up the early doubles point against the Wildcats. This marked the 20th time this season that Cleveland State earned the doubles point.
At No. 3 doubles, Clark Bilinovich and Kade Mindry were able to post a quick 6-3 victory, while Cleveland State's top doubles team of Nico Mostardi and Luke Phillips earned a 7-6(5) win over the No. 6 tandem in the country at the No. 1 spot to clinch the early point for the Vikings. At No. 2 doubles, the Cleveland State tandem of Matthew Terry and Maxime Mareschal-Hay were in a tiebreak before their match was halted.
Bilinovich and Mindry finished the 2021 campaign with a perfect 7-0 doubles record, while Mostardi and Phillips posted a team-best 12-4 record on the year.
With their clinching doubles win at the top of the lineup against the Wildcats, Mostardi and Phillips end their careers tied for third on the CSU Team Doubles Wins List with 27 victories as a tandem. Individually, Mostardi ranks fifth with 78 career wins, while Phillips is tied for eighth with 70 victories.
Kentucky's four points came at the No. 6, No. 4, No. 3, and No. 1 positions, as the Wildcats were able to come-from-behind and earn the 4-1 first round victory.
In the other two matches left on court, Terry was up 4-3 in the second set after dropping the first, while Bilinovich was tied 3-3 in the second set after falling in the opening frame.
Friday's match marked the final outing in a Cleveland State uniform for the trio of Nico Mostardi, Luke Phillips and Jack Santilli, with all three finishing their Viking careers as three-time Horizon League Champions.
As one of the most decorated players in program history, Mostardi finished his career ranked fourth on the CSU Singles Wins List with 90 career victories, while Phillips ended his time in the Green & White tied for eighth with 80 career wins.
Friday's 2021 First Round contest marked the fourth meeting between Cleveland State and Kentucky in NCAA Tournament play.
The Vikings finish the season with an 18-5 record, marking the sixth time under head coach Brian Etzkin that they have posted 18+ victories.
